


like centuries old trees standing beside each other

by novembrs



Category: Mission: Impossible (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Benji Dunn is a Knight, Ethan Hunt is a King, Fictional Kingdoms, Friends to Lovers, Ilsa Faust is a Queen, M/M, No Period Typical Homophobia, Slow Burn, Soulmates, kind of, nothing is really period typical in this let's be honest, the rating may change in the future and tags will be added as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 06:58:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17741078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novembrs/pseuds/novembrs
Summary: King Ethan Hunt, Ruler of the Southern Kingdom and the Preserver of Peace, is a lonely man, living in isolation. And although his people are living in an economically and politically stable kingdom, their King is not doing well in the absence of his daughter, the heiress to the Southern throne, who has left to attend a university in the East.Ethan receives an invitation from Queen Ilsa Faust of the Northern Kingdom, to visit her court and discuss the possibility of an alliance through marriage. Although he reluctantly agrees, meeting the Queen's Captain of the Royal Guard, Sir Benjamin Dunn upon his arrival and the revelation of a threat lurking in the Queen's shadows, changes his plans completely.(the title inspired by lyrics from a Czech song Dva by Zrní, translated)





	like centuries old trees standing beside each other

„My King.“  
  
Ethan looked up from the blank parchment on his writing desk. He did not realise someone had entered the room; nor the sun setting outside the tall windows in his study, as he realised just then.  
  
His gaze fell upon three men standing by the door and it seemed they had just walked in. One of them, the eldest, spoke.  
  
„My King, there is an urgent matter to be discussed with you,“ the archbishop Stickell, with his hands clasped together in front of him, regarded him with a stern, but still fairly familiar look. The look Ethan recognised the most.  
  
Ethan straightened his back and waved his hand towards the front of his desk.  
  
„Please, be my guests,“ he watched as the three men shuffled to him, heads bowed. He furrowed his eyebrows suspiciously; this kind of attitude was not usual for his court. He always tried to ensure no one needed to be too formal in his presence and Luther– as Ethan usually referred to the archbishop – definitely never was. He decided he would simply ask.  
  
„Should I consider your strange behaviour a warning, my friends, or is it purely my imagination?“ Ethan said, failing to hide the amusement in his voice.  
  
Two out of the three men, dressed in formal attire of the Southern Kingdom, answered almost in unison: „No, my lord.“  
  
The king crossed his arms on his chest, a smile now adorning his face. He watched Luther turn to his two companions, scolding them quietly.  
  
„Accept my sincere apologies, my King, but it has been a long day for my associates,“ the archbishop sighed once he turned to Ethan once again.  
  
„There is no need for any. Though I would appreciate an explanation for this whole display and the reason for your late visit.“  
  
„Of course, my King,“ Luther said, clearing his throat, „there is a matter you need to be informed about.

“  
„I was capable to make out that much, yes,“ Ethan's smile widened. He stood up and walked around the side of his writing table, abandoning his unwritten letter entirely. „You have my complete attention.“  
  
The archbishop bowed his head slightly, as did his two companions. Ethan was not certain if he had seen the two before, but judging from their clothing alone, they were servants or retainers of some sort. Ethan was not part of the hiring process for the castle for almost a year now – and even when he was, he usually left the decision to Anna, in the end.  
  
The thought of his daughter reminded him of the letter he was about to write just when the archbishop entered. He also remembered he could not think of anything to write, either. Answering letters had been...difficult for him, as of late.  
  
„My King, as you know, the annual meeting of the Elevated Council was held today,“ the archbishop began, taking a step towards Ethan, „the leaders of every city in the kingdom attended, as it is custom.“  
  
Ethan leaned on the edge of his writing table, careful not to knock over the inkwell like last time. He looked at the archbishop and nodded, a clear indication that he is listening.  
Ethan had stopped attending the Elevated Council quite some time ago, once he realised he was not needed anymore. His secret service assured him he is well-loved among his people and he need not make an appearance at the annual meeting of the council to keep his popularity up. And so Ethan did not. He felt he was not fit for politics anymore, either. After he had signed every peace treaty possible and Anna left to attend a university in the East, he slowly retreated to his palace by the sea, so he could wait for her return in a few years.  
  
„The leaders managed to agree on a stable tax on tomatoes and olives, at last. Though there was a more pressing matter they wanted to discuss,“ the archbishop continued, suddenly turning towards the tall windows to Ethan's left.  
  
Ethan watched Luther intently. „Does that matter concern me, in any way, then?“  
  
Luther turned to him again, nodding. „It does, my King.“  
  
He bit the inside of his cheek, considering. He glanced at the archbishop's companions who were still standing behind him. „Is that why they are here?“  
  
Luther sighed and rolled his eyes. „No, unfortunately not. They are servants your dear friend Sir Brandt assigned to accompany me everywhere I go, because I am unable to take care of myself, it seems.“  
  
Ethan tightened his lips to stop himself from breaking into laughter and stood up straight. He walked up to the servants.  
  
„Could you by any chance leave us to discuss the archbishop's message in private? I will ensure he will be taken care of in your absence,“ Ethan felt Luther's disagreeing look on the back of his head, but easily ignored it.  
  
The two servants muttered a quiet „yes, my lord“ and shuffled out of Ethan's study. He then returned his attention to Luther and motioned towards a small divan by the windows.  
  
„Shall we sit while we talk?“ he suggested.  
  
„I hope you will not assume their duties now that they are gone, Ethan,“ Luther grumbled, but accepted Ethan's invitation to sit anyway.  
  
„I am simply surprised, that is all. Though I believe Sir Brandt was simply jesting with assigning you those companions,“ Ethan laughed and sat down opposite of Luther.  
  
„If he did, I expect of you to scold him in in my name.“  
  
Ethan shook his head. „I would if his visits were longer than a few hours at a time.“  
  
Luther regarded him with a strange look, a look Ethan recognised.  
Along with avoiding meetings of the Elevated Council and his retreat to his palace by the sea, Ethan had almost no visitors except for the occasional meeting with a vassal or an envoy from a neighboring kingdom. The only constant thing in his life were Anna's letters.  
And although he knew he should not separate himself from the rest of the world like that, he still found himself slipping into isolation more and more each day. He simply felt as if he had fulfilled his duty both as a father and as a king and it was time for him to wait for the day he is to retire completely and for his daughter to inherit the throne. That was his reality for the last few years, to say the least.  
  
Luther leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. „Ethan. You must know what the leaders discussed during the council by now.“  
  
Ethan sighed and suddenly felt much smaller and weaker than ever before in his entire life. „I have a feeling I do, yes.“  
  
„The leaders and most importantly your people, are worried for your health, my King,“ Luther said, each word leaving his lips slowly and clearly, as if to make sure Ethan understood him, „and while I recognise you are still in mourning of your late wife...“  
  
„I am not, Luther,“ Ethan interrupted him sharply, but upon seeing the archbishop's eyes narrowing, he sighed quietly, „I apologise. I miss Julia deeply, yes, but she has been gone for many years now. I assure you I am not in mourning. Not anymore, at least.“  
  
Luther nodded, although he did not seem convinced. He sat up and cleared his throat. „Well, then I shall adress the matter directly. My King, the leaders at the Elevated Council spoke and it is my duty as your advisor and your friend to inform you that your people wish for you to marry.“  
  
Silence fell between the two men for a short moment before Ethan frowned and managed to utter: „Pardon?“  
  
Luther stood up and walked towards the writing table again. „Your people – including me – have been watching you lose yourself to feelings of melancholy and loneliness ever since Princess Anna left to attend a university. No one wished to suggest anything, naturally, but...“ Luther looked back at Ethan who remained seated on the divan. „It could not escape our eyes that you are unhappy, Ethan.“  
  
Ethan looked at his knees for a long moment before glancing at the archbishop once again.  
  
„Is that the pressing matter you wished to discuss with me, then?“ He was aware of his voice sounding raspier than usual, but he couldn not help feeling – what exactly? Betrayed? Backed into a corner and slowly realising that the way he has been living does not and will not bring him the relief he wants so desperately?  
  
Luther clasped his hands behind his back and turned to look at Ethan again. „You must understand, Ethan, that for you to remain as well-loved among your people as you currently are, some things must change.“  
  
Ethan sighed, defeated. He always knew he was a stubborn man, but not stubborn enough to refuse help from his oldest friend. And act against the wishes of his people, as well. „Very well. Do I get a chance to choose who I decide to marry, at least?“  
  
The archbishop bowed his head slightly. „Naturally, my King. There is, however, someone interested in forming a partnership with you.“  
  
Ethan raised his eyebrows. „Already? Had the suitors been informed of my situation before me?“  
  
„Don't be foolish, Ethan,“ Luther said, irritated, „we would never choose someone in your stead. We have received a letter from the Northern Kingdom a few weeks ago.“  
  
Ethan's eyes narrowed. He did not remember ever having dealings with anyone from a land so far away. The Northern Kingdom was powerful, that was true and it would be a formidable ally in times of war. Perhaps that is precisely why Ethan never approached its ruler to form any kind of alliance – he did not wish to start a war against anyone. At least not anymore. Those days were behind him.  
  
„Queen Ilsa Faust had voiced her wish for you to come to the kingdom's capital and discuss your potential marriage contract,“ Luther said, retrieving the described letter from his long robes and placing it on Ethan's writing table.  
  
Ethan rubbed his cheek which had grown irritably more itchy throughout the day with the growing beard he had been neglecting and finally nodded. „All right, then. I will read the letter and consider it,“ once he saw Luther's eyes glistening, he put his hand up, „I will only consider it. I need to discuss it with Anna first and only then I will give you my final answer.“  
  
Luther smiled genuinely and turned around to walk to the door. Before he departed, though, he glanced at Ethan one last time. „Remember, Ethan, that you must think of yourself before you think of anyone else. Just this once, at least.“  
  
Ethan waited until Luther had left the room completely before he sighed, exhausted. His eyes fell upon the letter with a broken seal Luther had placed on his writing table. He walked up to it and opened the envelope, taking out the folded parchment. He read it slowly, soaking up each word whilst trying to put his thoughts in order.  
  
As expected, the letter was highly formal and undeniably not written by the Queen herself, as Ethan also had servants who wrote his letters for him. Not those addressed to Anna, though. He always wrote those himself for Anna would surely recognise if he did not.  
  
Nevertheless, Queen Ilsa was very clear in her wish for him to visit her in the Northern Kingdom. She was a widow herself, with her husband being a warlord who died fighting. She also did not have any children and did not intend to have any; she simply needed someone who already had an heir and who would eventually inherit her throne as well. Queen Ilsa was very straightforward, to say the least.  
  
That was unquestionably a matter Ethan needed to consult with Anna. If she was to become Queen to two kingdoms instead of one, she was the one to decide whether Ethan should proceed with accepting the Queen's offer.  
Ethan walked around the writing table once again and sat down. He dipped his quill in ink and wrote down a letter to his daughter, now completely sure what to write, unlike only mere minutes before. And while he knew it will take at least five days for Anna's answer to be delivered, he figured he could wait that much. He already did.

*****

On the dawn of the fifth day, a messenger arrived to the palace gates. Ethan was already awake and was eating his breakfast on a terrace overlooking the sea. The sun was reflecting on the calm surface of the water, casting an orange glow on everything it touched.  
  
Ethan always loved this part of day; when everything was serene and almost seemed it existed outside of the real world, the world of the living. It reminded him of Anna, as well, for she was born at dawn. He even wanted to give her a name that would symbolise her birth, but he had to submit to tradition and so Anna was named after his great-grandmother.  
  
The years following Anna's birth were not as pleasant to think about, though, so Ethan chose not to. But the memories of those years lingered in the back of his mind constantly, sometimes coming back to him in dreams and those he could not control. It made him feel weaker and somehow nervous, in a way he did not know how to describe.  
He wished Anna would return soon.  
  
Once the letter was delivered to him, he tore up the envelope, dry wax of the golden seal crumbling in his fingers. The letter was written on a single page, much shorter than any of Anna's previous letters he had received. He read it quickly once, then once again, slower.

_Dearest Father,_

_I will not deceive you and say I was caught off guard with your last letter. I have been hoping for such news for quite some time and I am very happy you have decided to seize this opportunity._  
_As for me, I am prepared to face any challenge that will come my way if you decide to proceed with the marriage._  
_Remember, Father, that it is your decision and yours only and I will respect it no matter your choice. It is your happiness which matters most to me, after all. I sincerely hope you know this._  
_I love and wish you the best, as always._

_Your loving daughter,_

_Anna_

_P.S.: I am once again sharing an idea one of my lecturers has shared with me: Do not do, but become._  
_I expect you to write your own understanding of the idea in your following letter which you will send me._

Upon reading the letter once again, Ethan smiled and placed it on the table.  
  
„Do not do, but become,“ he said out loud, „now what could it mean...“  
  
„My King,“ a servant called from behind him, walking across his chambers, „Sir Brandt has sent a message.“  
  
„What is it?“  
  
The servant bowed her head slightly before straightening up and placing her arms along the length of her body. „I shall quote precisely what Sir Brandt has passed on,“ she cleared her throat before she continued, „'You bet your gold clad royal backside I will accompany you on your journey. I am currently caught in the middle of some family matters, but if you wait for me at the border, I shall travel to the Queen with you. I hope you have not forgotten how to ride, old man.' “  
  
Ethan listened to the servant say Brandt's message with an amused smile, one of his eyebrows raised and once she finished, he crossed his arms on his chest. „I am sure it was an absolute joy for Sir Brandt to entrust you with such a significant message.“  
  
The servant blushed. „He certainly failed to finish a sentence a couple of times due to fits of laughter, my King.“  
  
Ethan laughed and then motioned towards the door. „Very well, I will prepare everything necessary for the journey, then. You may go now, thank you.“  
  
The servant bowed and left his room. Ethan turned around and looked at the rising sun one last time before stepping inside his bedroom once again.

*****

A few days had passed by the time Ethan arrived to the border, accompanied by a small number of his servants to carry his baggage, but no soldiers. It would be foolish of him, especially after signing a peace treaty with every single neighboring kingdom during the twenty-five years of his reign. There was still a threat of attacks from bandits or outlaws who did not follow the rule of any of the leaders of the kingdoms which were surrounding Ethan's. Still, passing the land which was not his own with soldiers (even if it were only a handful) was a risk Ethan was not willing to take.  
  
He and his companions had set up camp by a forest which served as a natural border – beyond it was a kingdom Ethan had visited many times before, both with violent and peaceful intent. King Theodore was a man of great wisdom, but also of great mystery, one which Ethan was once curious about, though he was not anymore. His thirst for adventure had left him a long time ago.  
  
As the sun began to set, Ethan spotted a figure seated on the back of a horse, galloping towards him. He thought it might had been a bandit at first, but they never attacked by themselves.  
  
Then, as the figure appreached his camp, he recognised the glistening armor of a knight. There was no doubt it was Sir Brandt.  
  
He had known Brandt since he had become King, twenty-five years prior. The fact that they could not be in each other´s company without barking at each other like dogs became known to almost everyone who knew them at the time, including the archbishop himself. He then insisted on granting Brandt a service for the Southern crown, which he accepted. That is how the knight became a part of Ethan's army and during the years Ethan fought in a great number of wars, Brandt was there by his side each time, constantly showing resistance against Ethan's orders and questioning his authority, but never leaving the battlefield.  
  
By the time the wars had ended and the peace treaties were signed, Ethan and Brandt had become great friends, Ethan was even bold enough to say they were lifelong friends.  
This friendship seemed to start to weaken due to Ethan's sudden retreat to the palace by the sea, though. During each visit, Brandt made sure to criticise Ethan for his decision, as was expected. He did not understand Ethan's emotional composition in the least, it seemed.  
  
Ethan ordered one of his servants to make room for Brandt's horse amongst theirs, which were already cleaned after an entire day of travel and tied to trees close to the camp.  
He then walked up a small hill a few feet away from the camp which overlooked the valley under him. Ethan watched Brandt's horse gallop through the valley, with its rider skillfully holding the reins. It brought back memories of the rush of running into battle, with his sword drawn in one hand and the reins of his horse – Angel was his name, died of old age a few years ago – in the other, shouting orders at his soldiers. The thought immediately brought back a memory of Julia, who was no longer in his life precisely because of that and Ethan shook his head to get rid of the thought.  
  
„My King,“ he heard someone call on him suddenly and he looked up at a man sitting on horseback, looking down at him with a smirk on his face, „long time no see.“  
  
Ethan, now fully in the present, returned his smile. „You seem to have put on a few pounds, William, or are my eyes deceiving me?“  
  
Brandt snorted and proceeded to grab the horn of his saddle, skillfully throwing one of his legs over the horse's back and landing on the ground in front of Ethan. „Are you certain you wish to throw around such insults, my King? What is this atrocious thing you have on your face?“ he pointed at Ethan's long, unkept beard.  
  
Ethan put his hand on it protectively, swatting Brandt's hand away. „It's a beard.“  
  
Brandt gave him a blank stare. „I know what a beard is, Ethan. I simply wish to know why, for the love of everything that is Holy, you have it on your face?“  
  
Ethan opened his mouth to answer, to protest the slander of his face accessory, but could not find any words to do it. At last, he had decided to simply shrug his shoulder.  
„Perhaps I just did not want to shave it every day.“  
  
Brandt did not seem to believe him in the slightest. One of his eyebrows twitched upwards. „And you are certain you wish to meet the Queen with this on your face? It has got grey hair in it. You look ancient!“  
  
Ethan laughed and shook his head. „You are right, I should probably have someone tidy it up for me.“  
  
They both turned around then and began walking towards the camp together. Brandt threw one of his arms around Ethan's still broad shoulders. „I could do it, if you'd like. My skills with scissors are wicked.“  
  
„No, I think I will spare you the trouble this time.“

*****

In the next four days to come, Ethan and his small company of servants along with Brandt had made the journey through King Theodore's kingdom with little to no interaction with the locals. One would perhaps find it odd, that during a four-day journey only a few farmers and merchants had passed them, but they were travelling through an area which was not inhabited due to the small number of rivers around which most cities were built.  
  
They mostly travelled through dense forests and large meadows covered with blooming flowers. The weather was warm with only an occassional wind and a few drops of rain here and there, which was nothing in comparison to what Ethan experienced at home and what was to be expected in the North.  
  
„Tell me, is it cold there? In the North, I mean,“ Brandt asked on the third day just as they had left a small stream where they gathered some fresh water.  
  
„I have only heard stories about the kingdom, but I am quite sure the capital is close to the mountains and it is cold there,“ Ethan said, scratching at his beard mindlessly, „though I am not sure if it applies for summer as well.“  
  
Brandt sighed. „I still cannot understand why you decided to marry that woman. You have never met, after all.“  
  
„For the last time, Brandt, I have not decided on anything yet. I have only accepted her invitation. I will decide once we discuss the matters of our partnership.“  
  
„Partnership?“ Brandt echoed, astonished. „Is that truly the name she chose for your marriage?“  
  
Ethan smiled slightly. „It is indeed.“  
  
„I do not wish to offend you, Ethan, or her, for that matter, but what on earth does she have in mind?“  
  
„I have been wondering the same thing ever since this journey began.“  
  
Brandt glanced in front of them, at the silhouette of mountains far in the distance. „Perhaps she simply needs help for the war she is waging.“  
  
Ethan abruptly stopped his horse. „What did you say?“  
  
Brandt and the rest of their company stopped as well, turning their heads at Ethan, their faces painted with worry and curiosity.  
  
„What do you mean by waging a war? Against whom?“ This was all news to Ethan. He had always known the Northern Kingdom was exceptionally powerful due to its massive size and high population, but he did not know the Queen was actually at war with another kingdom. And he had not heard of it at all which was possibly the strangest thing. A war was usually a difficult thing to hide from anyone.  
  
„Well,“ Brandt cleared his throat, „it is not exactly widely known, it is but a rumour, really...“  
  
Ethan's brows furrowed. „How could a war be just a rumour? Where did this rumour come from?“  
  
Brandt sighed and motioned towards a river which was still half a day's worth of travelling away. „Could we at least set up camp for tonight first? The sun will set soon and everyone needs to get some food in them. I promise I will tell you everything I know once we get some rest.“  
  
After a moment of hesitation, Ethan reluctantly agreed and dismounted his horse.  
  
The sun had set quickly then, covering everything around them in darkness, the only source of light being a campfire with a cauldron filled with potato stew for dinner.  
Ethan impatiently waited until everyone had eaten their share for the day, checked on the horses and had gone to bed. Brandt joined him, taking a seat next to him by the fire.  
  
Ethan gazed into the fire, unmoving. He felt Brandt looking at him.  
  
„I have been thinking about something,“ Ethan said, „and it is not something I think about often. Not since Julia...“  
  
„Ethan,“ Brandt interrupted him, placing his palm on Ethan's arm, „there is not need for us to talk about it.“  
  
„I know. I simply want to understand why war keeps following me every place I go, even if I do not want it to,“ Ethan whispered, frustrated, „and if the Queen is truly in the middle of waging a war, I do not want to be a part of it.“  
  
Brandt gave him a tight-lipped smile. „I understand, Ethan, but...I have heard gruesome things about what is happening in the North. Not from the front lines, though. Many of the soldiers fighting who leave their homes to fight in the West of the kingdom never return.“  
  
Ethan shook his head, anger slowly setting inside of him. „How does no one know about it, then? How is it just a rumour?“  
  
„I do not know, Ethan. Folks will believe anything when they are scared. Witches, blood sacrifices, demons, that sort of thing. The kingdom is vast and word does not travel as fast as at home. The Queen is powerful and has everything under control, as far as everyone is concerned. The men and women who join the army simply disappear due to a curse or dark magic of some sort and that is where the story ends.“  
  
„Who is the Queen's enemy, then?“  
  
Brandt shrugged and looked at the dark forest in front of them. „No one knows. It is believed to be someone from the West, but I have never been there. I have heard it is nothing but a dry and uninhabitable land filled with mercenary groups and outlaws from other kingdoms, nothing else.“  
  
Ethan nodded his head and looked at the crackling fire in front of him. „I shall ask the Queen myself, then. If she simply wants to use our marriage as a way to drag me into a war, I will find out everything I possibly can.“  
  
Brandt sighed. „Very well.“  
  
Ethan turned to him, confused. „Are you not going to disagree with me?“  
  
„Why should I? I am curious as well, for one, and I made a promise to you a long time ago, did I not? I shall stand by you in peace or war and fight with you if such situation arises. And it might, once we meet the Queen. I certainly hope it does not, to be honest.“  
  
Ethan smiled. „Thank you, Brandt. You are a good friend.“  
  
Brandt snorted, showing Ethan in the shoulder. „Don't you get too soft with me, or I might melt.“  
  
They both shared a laugh and a few additional words before retreating into their respective tents to gather strength for the rest of the journey.

*****

Another full day of travelling had passed when they reached the border of the Northern Kingdom. They crossed the river using a bridge which seemed old and the stone of it was covered in moss, though it was sturdy and well built.  
  
The weather seemed to change almost immediately, as if by magic, with cold wind and rain and with the sun peeking from behind the grey clouds only occasionally throughout the entirety of their journey to the capital; during which they had walked through smaller villages and observed the carefree attitude of the people they met. They exchanged but a few words, careful not to question them about their knowledge – or lack thereof – of the possible war their Queen was waging.  
  
Ultimately, it took them two additional days to reach the capital. Soon after crossing the border, Ethan realised he might have underprepared for the journey. He knew the North was cold and unwelcoming, especially for a southerner like him, but he still ended up being careless.  
  
He even found himself sighing in relief once he saw the city gates of the capital. And just as the stories he heard before, the city was in a valley surrounded by mountains, their peaks covered with snow and ice. There was still grass and green forests around the city, though, as it was the middle of summer.  
  
„Are you sure, then?“ Brandt asked him while they were walking towards the gates, keeping the gait of their horses as slow as possible.  
  
„Yes, I am,“ Ethan said, determined, „there are many questions the Queen must answer and I will not proceed to the marriage talks until she does so.“  
  
„I was talking about keeping the hideous beard, but sure, I agree,“ Brandt smirked.  
  
Ethan laughed quietly and ran his hand over it. „I have grown quite fond of it, to be honest.“  
  
„Very well, my King. Who am I to try and change your mind?“ Brandt sighed and they stopped in front of the still closed gates.  
  
There was a silence for a short moment before a voice called from behind the gates: „Who is it?“  
  
„King Ethan Hunt of the Northern Kingdom. Arriving upon the invitation of the Queen!“ Brandt answered, raising his voice enough for the other person behind the gates to hear him.  
  
„Ah, yes, her Majesty had informed us of your arrival,“ said the person and seemed to step away from the entrance, „open the gates!“  
  
Ethan held onto his horse's reins as the two sided wooden gate slowly opened, creaking loudly and echoing off of the surrounding mountains. Once the gap was big enough, he was able to recognise buildings both tall and small, all made out of dark stone, lining what seemed to be a road leading up to the end of Ethan's journey – the Queen´s castle.  
  
It immediately struck him that the city they had entered was not built to withstand an attack – there were no fortifications outside the wooden walls and no soldiers on duty. And as they slowly walked through what seemed to be the local market, the inhabitants seemed to live in blissfull ignorance of what was truly happening. He felt their curious eyes on him as he passed and he felt his face heat up. It had certainly been a long time since he walked among people, those he knew and total strangers alike. He was sure they all knew what was the reason behind is arrival, the Queen surely informed them. He wondered if she was feeding them different stories as well, to distract them from the reality.  
  
Suddenly, he realised, there was a crowd of townspeople standing on each side of the road, abandoning their daily routines completely to watch as Ethan and his companions walked slowly to the castle.  
  
„Who is that, ma?“ he heard a child's voice in the crowd.  
  
„'Tis a King, he's 'ere to marry our Queen,“ a woman said to the child and Ethan's face burned even hotter than before.  
  
„Is everything all right?“ Brandt asked him as they left the market, making their way through the crowds of people walking about the main road, passing stores, dark alleyways, joy houses and churches for what seemed like hours.  
  
„I am quite all right,“ Ethan managed to choke out at last, taking deep, slow breaths. His beard irritated him and he scratched at it furiously. He found himself praying they would arrive to the castle as soon as possible.     
  
They soon left the centre of the city and for a short moment walked among fruit groves which stretched almost as far as the human eye could see; there were vineyards as well, though the time of harvest was still far away.  
  
A man of small built carrying a sack over his shoulder waved at Ethan in greeting as he passed them, likely heading for the city to sell his wares at the market. Ethan felt an urge to stop him and purchase whatever he was carrying, but did not act on it in the end.  
  
Then, a group of young maids dressed in white who must have recognised Ethan somehow, bowed down their heads in greeting, asking for permission to pet the horses.  
  
Ethan's face did not burn anymore. Perhaps it was the serenity and tranquility of country life he had gotten used to in recent years that absorbed him rather than the hurried life of the city. Or – and that was more likely – he simply yearned for the life he used to lead before he abandoned it; filled with adventure, conflict, victory on the battlefield, drenched in sweat and blood...  
  
No, Ethan thought. Not anymore. He made a promise, after all, to Anna and Julia. And he intended to keep it no matter the circumstances. He would rather run than return to that life.  
  
„This place is breathtaking,“ he heard Brandt say next to him, „it is almost hard to believe there is a war only a few days of travel away.“  
  
„We do not know whether that is true, William,“ Ethan said and pointed towards a building in the distance. There was no doubt it was the Queen's residence, the aim and end of their journey.  
  
„We are almost there.“  
  
„This is strange,“ murmured Brandt, „I was informed the castle was closer to the city than this.“  
  
Ethan turned around to see the gates of the city behind them which were then difficult to recognise due to the distance. „Perhaps she did live in the city at some point, but moved to the castle after the war began?“  
  
Brandt considered it for a moment, but then nodded. „Perhaps that is true.“  
  
The sun, which had not left the sky for the entire day, was slowly beginning to set, turning the sky and occasional clouds orange, then pink, then red as the afternoon turned into the evening. A sense of exhaustion had fallen upon Ethan and his companions, but he was willing to finish their journey to the castle before the sun completely disappeared.  
  
They had managed to arrive to the residence of the Queen before sundown and once the soldiers on the ramparts confirmed Ethan's identity, the drawbridge was lowered and Ethan was welcomed by the members of the court.  
  
He was feeling way too tired to pay attention to each one of them, but made sure to smile as much as his face allowed him to, dismounting and leaving his horse to be taken to the stables. Brandt had joined him immediately, standing close to him as Ethan observed the courtyard.  
  
The castle seemed to be built to withstand an attack as well as maintain a feeling of luxury and comfort the ruler of a kingdom required. It was definitely bigger and sturdier than his own castle back in the South, but that was mostly due to the differing architecture styles between the two kingdoms.  
The walls of the castle were made out of dark grey sandstone, similar to the one which the buildings in the capital were built with, suggesting the presence of a stone-pit nearby.  
  
„Your Majesty,“ a tall man dressed in armour walked up to them, „it is my honor to welcome you to the Northern Kingdom. My name is Harritt, the Chamberlain of the Queen. At your service.“  
  
Ethan watched him as he bent down his entire torso to bow, feeling slightly unneasy. It had been a long time since anyone behaved so formally in his presence. Perhaps it was high time for him to prepare himself to be treated in such manner for the upcoming days, at least.  
  
„It is good to be here, thank you,“ Ethan turned to his servants, a few of them still sitting on their horses. „Please, ensure that my servants are taken good care of, as well as their horses. We have a long journey behind us.“  
  
The Chamberlain bowed again and proceeded to give orders to his men, who almost immediately jumped into work. The man in armor then returned his attention to Ethan and gave him a sincere smile.  
  
„If you would please follow me, the Queen has been impatiently awaiting your arrival.“  
  
„Oh, I bet she has,“ Brandt murmured into Ethan's ear.  
  
Ethan simply shook his head, but he could not prevent his mouth from turning into an amused smile. In that moment, he felt truly grateful for having Brandt by his side. He was an annoyace from time to time, but he still remained a loyal friend and an ally to Ethan, for which he was proud to call him his most trusted friend.  
  
Ethan and Brandt followed the Chamberlain and walked across the courtyard up the stairs and into the castle through old wooden doors. It did not slip Ethan's attention that he had not seen any servants as of yet – there were only soldiers, the chest plates of their armour bearing the Queen's crest – a blue shield with a silver right-facing eagle.  
He had seen the same image on the broken seal on the letter Luther had brought him almost two weeks ago. Was it truly only two weeks? It almost felt as if an entire year had passed since that evening.  
  
The thought of a letter reminded him he was to write one to Anna the moment he is left on his own; though he did not know an explanation of the idea she had sent him in her post scriptum. He felt a little foolish, but he was not afraid to admit ignorance on a certain matter, especially to his daughter who was slowly becoming smarter than him.  
  
The Chamberlain led them through a candle lit corridor with stone walls that should perhaps seem  and feel cold and unwelcoming, but the soft orange glow of candlelight together with a crimson red carpet laid on the stone floor evoked a feeling of warmth and comfort, which somehow slightly calmed Ethan's nerves.  
  
„Tell me, Harritt,“ Brandt spoke suddenly, „the Queen was already married once, was she not? Why did she never have children with her late husband?“  
  
Ethan raised one of his eyebrows at his companion, not particularly sure what kind of reaction he was trying to provoke in the Chamberlain.  
  
Harritt spoke without turning around to face them, his voice calm, almost reserved: „Her Majesty is unfortunately unable to bear a child, or she was unable to do so with her former husband, at least.“  
  
Ethan's eyebrows furrowed. He was certain the Queen did not want to have children in the first place, as she expressed in her letter to him. Could it be that she lied to him? If so, why would she do so? So far he had only managed to get more questions than answers, even after he had already arrived to the castle at which he had hoped to find out everything he was itching to know.  
  
„Is that an official response?“ Ethan asked then, curiosity getting the better of him.  
  
„It is the answer I am provided to give you should you ask a question about Her Majesty's personal affairs, yes,“ Harritt said without hesitation.  
  
Ethan and Brandt exchanged quick looks, deciding on a definite conclusion: there is something suspicious happening with the Queen. And even though he did not know what it was, Ethan had decided he will find out. It could very well be purely his imagination, but he was not willing to take that risk. He was already in the castle, after all. It was only a matter of time before he would cast light on some of the questions he had; perhaps even the Queen herself would be able to do so.

*****

It only took a short and quiet walk through another corridor before they found themselves in a vast room that had its walls decorated with tapestries which contained different displays of great historical moments of both the Queen herself and her predecessors. Sturdy stone columns lined the walls almost entirely, except for the complete end of the room where stood the throne itself, situated on a tall pedestal which seemed almost unclimbable. It appeared to be made out of white stone, probably marble, and covered with different kinds of fur to preserve warmth.  
  
As Ethan stepped into the room, his eyes immediately found the throne, expecting the Queen to be sitting there, prepared to address them, but the throne was lacking its owner.  
  
He immediately searched the rest of the throne room, trying to locate the Queen, but without effect. Just as he turned around to ask Harritt where the Queen had gone, he noticed that a figure had appeared from the shadows of the candle lit room and walked up to them.  
  
It was a woman, only slightly shorter than him, her pale freckled face suggesting a young age, though she could have been older. Her auburn hair was falling loosely around her round face, her bright blue eyes piercing, but kind at the same time. She was certainly incredibly beautiful as well as the woman who was surrounded by so much mystery – Queen Ilsa Faust.  
  
„Gentlemen,“ she spoke loudly, her voice echoing off of the stone walls, „I apologise, but I was momentarily detained by a matter of high priority,“ she turned to face Ethan, „I welcome you to the Northern Kingdom, Your Majesty.“  
  
Ethan bowed his head in greeting. „It is an honour to finally make your acquiantance, Your Majesty.“  
  
„I trust you did not run into any trouble on the way here?“ she said, resting her hands along her sides.  
  
Ethan was aware of the reasons why she could have asked the question, but he could not help but stiffen at that moment. „The only troublesome aspect of the North we came into contact with was the weather, Ma'am.“  
  
She proceeded to laugh shortly. „Ah, yes, for a southerner such as yourself it must have been quite the surprise. The weather seems to change depending on its mood, as if it were alive. Many songs have been written about it.“  
  
„Well, I certainly hope I will get a chance to listen to a few of them,“ Ethan smiled politely.  
  
Ilsa returned his smile, but it disappared soon after, her face turning serious. „There are more pressing matters at hand, though, and it would be best for us to discuss them as soon as possible.“  
  
„By all means,“ Ethan said, „could it be possible for us to meet after dinner? We have quite the journey behind us and I believe my companion here is restless to have a bath,“ he proceeded to point to Brandt who was still quietly standing next to him.  
  
Ilsa regarded him with a nonchalant look and nodded. „Very well. Due to your fairly late arrival, we have moved the time of dinner to eight. Surely that will give you enough time to rest. A servant will accompany you to the dining room in due time.“  
  
As Ethan nodded his head in agreement and Ilsa turned to leave, another person had walked into the throne room through the same entrance as the Queen did just a short moment before.  
  
It was a man of similar height and age to Ethan, though he might have been slightly younger. A short ginger beard decorated his face and at his temples disappeared into darker, auburn hair on his head. A pair of brown eyes found his first, then Ilsa's.  
  
The stranger walked up them swiftly, his armour similar to the one Harritt wore - though perhaps slightly different in some aspects, but still bearing the Queen's crest - rattling as he moved.  
  
„I apologise for the intrusion, but there is an urgent message for you, Ma'am,“ the man spoke in a hushed whisper, his chest moving rapidly as if he had been running up until that moment.  
  
Instead of answering, the Queen simply nodded and turned back to Ethan. „Please, let me introduce you. This is Sir Benjamin Dunn, the Captain of the Royal Guard. Sir Dunn, my guests King Ethan Hunt and...“ she seemed unsure as to who Brandt was, a thoughtful frown appearing on her face.  
  
„Sir William Brandt, His Majesty's friend and advisor,“ Brandt chipped in, his mouth forming a somehow awkward, crooked smile.  
  
Ilsa smiled again, this time less genuinely. „Quite. I apologise.“  
  
Ethan bowed his head slightly towards the soldier and he did the same. „It is wonderful to meet you, Sir Dunn.“  
  
„Likewise, Your Majesty,“ Benjamin said, a glimpse of excitement appearing in his eyes, „I have heard many tales of your adventures, Sir, and I even find it hard to believe we are finally meeting. I would love to listen to your own retelling of the stories since word travels fast, but always manages to be changed,“ Benjamin said, words falling out of his mouth faster than he probably realised.  
  
Ethan tried to say something himself, but the soldier continued: „Though I do not wish to be intrusive in any way and I apologise if I seem so. It is unusual for a person to meet someone they have admired for such a long time.“  
  
„Well...“ Ethan began, but found himself at a loss for words. He never imagined he would meet someone who was interested in his life, nor was an admirer of his, from such far away.  
  
„Perhaps you can discuss this later, once our guests will have rested for a little bit?“ Ilsa suggested suddenly, placing a hand on Benjamin's shoulder as if to prevent him from speaking. A blush spread on the man's face and he looked down, avoiding the eyes of everyone present.  
  
Ethan could not help but smile. He did not want the man to feel embarrassed for his ethusiasm. „I would very much enjoy talking to you again, Sir Dunn.“  
  
The Captain looked up and gave Ethan an excited, but still fairly awkward smile.  
  
A servant then approached them – a real servant this time, not a soldier – and requested for Ethan and Brandt to follow her into the guest wing where their chambers were located.  
  
Ethan made sure to pay attention to each turn and corridor they walked through, each painting and tapestry on every wall, making use of his good memory which seemed to have not faded over the time he had spent in isolation. He did not want to find himself wandering the castle halls trying to find a certain room and getting hopelessly lost.  
  
The servant lead them to a wide hall with a number of doors on each side. Sunlight was still streaming in through a large west facing window at the end of the hall.  
  
„Is there anyone else currently living in this part of the castle?“ Ethan asked just as the servant was showing their rooms, which were right next to each other.  
  
„Yes, Sir,“ the servant said simply, having no reason not to tell Ethan the truth, and pointed towards the end of the hall, „Captain Dunn has been temporarily moved to the guest wing from the barracks.“  
  
Ethan frowned. „Do you know why is that?“  
  
„I could not say, Sir,“ the servant shrugged, „I usually do not talk to the soldiers.“  
  
Ethan nodded and thanked the servant as she bowed and left. Once they were completely alone once again, Brandt turned to him, frowning. „There is something incredibly strange happening in this castle.“  
  
Ethan sighed. „I could not agree more,“ he shook his head and leaned on the stone wall. „Everyone in this castle seems to know of something the rest of the castle does not know of. Even the Queen herself. The soldiers must be her strongest allies, that is why they are everywhere.“  
  
„Including the Captain,“ Brandt said, crossing his arms on his chest, „he is a strange fellow, is he not?“  
  
Ethan smiled. „He definitely knows something. He might be a good place to begin.“  
  
„Well, I will leave him to you, then, since he is such a big admirer of yours,“ Brandt stretched his arms above his head and took a step towards the door of his bedroom. „I currently need a shave and a bath, so I shall see you at dinner,“ and with that, he had disappeared in his chambers.  
  
Ethan figured he was ought to have a wash himself and stepped into his room.

*****

A little bit over an hour had passed since Ethan entered Queen Ilsa's castle, the sun had yet to set and although his bedroom had a northwest facing window, not much light had found its way inside.  
  
Immediately after Ethan had entered the room, he undressed the outer, far more dirty layer of clothing he had not washed for a couple of days and ringed for a servant to send him two buckets of hot and cold water.  
  
As he expected, the servant, a young man whose face was dirty with coal entered his room through a door hidden behind a curtain and placed the buckets by a large wooden tub. Before the servant left, Ethan stopped him and placed a gold coin into his palm. The young man quickly hid the coin in his purse and then disappeared through the door.  
Though the coin was not local currency, Ethan believed the young man would find a good way to spend it.  
  
Ethan then undressed completely and stepped into the tub. First he took the bucket with cold water and poured it over himself. He clenched his jaw as to not cry out and dropped the bucket on the floor. He took a bottle of liquid soap which had been placed on a wooden shelf along with other bottles containing washing supplies of different colours and smells and poured it into his hands. He washed his entire body as thoroughly as he could, making sure the soap did not get inside his eyes.  
  
By the time he had finished spreading the liquid which smelled of lavender over his body, the water in the second bucket seemed to lose some of its hotness and he poured it on himself as well, washing off the soap. Once he stepped out of the tub, he immediately dried himself with a piece of cloth and put on clean clothes.  
  
There was a mirror placed close by and Ethan stepped in front of it, regarding his appearance. Though his body did not change much over the years, he did notice that the skin on his face – especially around his eyes – had become wrinkled, two or three lines forming in the corner of his eyes when he smiled. And Brandt certainly did not lie about his beard containing grey hairs, though there was not that big of a number. The beard itself managed to age him, though.  
  
For the first time since he had left the South, he regretted he did not shave it when he had the chance. He could have at least trimmed it so it would not be so... _present_. Perhaps the way Sir Dunn's beard was done – the perfect middle ground between shaved and bearded.  
  
Ethan glanced at the window – the sun was low, but the sunset was still some time away. He decided it was high time to begin exploring his surroundings. He might even find the dining room before the dinner itself so he would not need to be escorted by a servant.  
  
He turned around and headed for the door, but stopped just before he opened them. He walked back to his travel bag the servants brought up to his chambers when they arrived, and took out a dagger. It was a present from the time before he became King, bearing his crest – a red shield with a right-facing golden lion with a silver crown on its head. It was not the crest he would have chosen – if he was even allowed a choice for that matter – but it was what his mother had left him and he was grateful for it.  
  
He tucked the dagger into a fold of his trousers, by the ankle. He did not know whether wandering about with a weapon on his person was a particularly good idea, but he wanted to be prepared for the unexpected and as long as he knew of  the castle and the Queen as little as he did, he needed to be safe as well.  
  
He stepped out of his chambers and looked around the hall, listening for any approaching footsteps. When all he heard was silence, he quietly closed the door after himself and began walking down the hall. He debated whether he should bring Brandt with him, but he guessed he could be taking a nap; he seemed to be barely able to walk when they parted.  
  
He figured he could find Sir Dunn – or Benjamin, though Ethan did not know how to refer to him as of yet – and start a conversation of sorts, maybe ask him about his history with Queen Ilsa. Ethan was almost certain he knew of everything that had happened – and was happening – in the castle; as to whether he was Ilsa's ally or not, that remained to be seen.  
  
Ethan found himself walking through the same corridors as the servant lead them through, occasionally stopping by a closed door and peeking through the keyhole, trying to see whether there was another room behind them. Most of them were pantries or storage rooms of sorts or the keyhole was filled with something which did not allow him to look through it.  
  
He tried to see if there were stairs to the second floor which is where the dining room could had been, but even after a few long moments of walking, he was not able to find them. What he found instead, though, was an opened door to the courtyard to which they had arriver earlier that day.  
  
He stepped outside and was surprised to see that there was no one there, only the sound of muffled nickers from the stables. Ethan walked down the stairs and immediately spotted his horse, cleaned and content with the stable boy's care, who was nowhere to be seen.  
  
He noticed a closed door just by the stables and once he found out they were not locked, he slowly opened them. He stepped into what seemed like another courtyard, but perhaps less secluded. A plain filled with cut grass extended into the distance, towards the mountains and when Ethan turned around, he could see he was on the north side of the castle, the view of the capital hidden behind the castle itself.  
  
The castle's walls surrounded the area in which Ethan stood, creating a sort of inclosure around him. In front of him he could see a number of tents situated close to each other on each side of the plain, close to the walls. Between the tents there was an area without grass, big almost as the secluded courtyard, in which training dummies made out of hay were distributed evenly, side by side.  
  
This area was not empty though, a fairly loud chatter of a couple dozens of soldiers could be heard, some were training, sparring or just standing by the tents and talking in groups.  
  
They were not dressed in the armour with the Queen's crest, quite the oppposite – they seemed more like mercenaries than knights in the service of the crown.  
  
„Your Majesty?“ he heard suddenly and turned around towards the voice. He immediately recognised the man running towards him – Captain Benjamin Dunn.  
  
„What are you doing here, Sir?“ Sir Dunn had asked him, confusion in his eyes. Ethan noticed how incredibly easy it was to read what he was thinking, as if he was an open book.  
  
„I was just wandering around the castle and found myself here,“ Ethan said truthfully and pointed towards the plain. „May I ask what this is?“  
  
Sir Dunn scratched at his beard, rather anxiously. „I am not the one to tell you that, unfortunately.“  
  
Ethan raised his eyebrow. „Then I should ask the Queen myself, after dinner.“  
  
The Captain sighed. He placed his hands on his hips and glanced at the soldiers in the plain. „I cannot tell you here.“  
  
Ethan frowned. Was the Queen watching him? Her secret service, perhaps? Or was there someone else Ethan was unaware of?  
  
He stepped closer to Sir Dunn and spoke as quietly as he could. „Then suggest a place where you can tell me,“ he caught the other man's eyes and did not look away until he did.  
  
„Very well,“ Sir Dunn cleared his throat and stepped away from Ethan, motioning towards the area with training dummies. „Would you care for a sparring match, Sir? With wooden swords, of course.“  
  
One of the corners of Ethan's mouth lifted as he followed the Captain towards the grassless area.  
  
„Is that what you had in mind? It might draw unwanted attention.“  
  
„Of that I am certain, Sir,“ Sir Dunn said, picking out two wooden swords from the pile on a nearby table and throwing one of them to Ethan, „but I am also sure they will focus mostly on your famed fighting abilities than the conversation we will engage in.“  
  
Ethan squeezed the grip of the sword in his hand, getting used to its weight. It had been almost three years since he held a sword in his hand, wooden or not.  
  
He watched Sir Dunn take his position opposite him and felt a strange discomfort crawling up his neck. It was not because he was afraid of embarrassing himself in front of the Captain or the soldiers – though he did not exlude that possibility either – he was afraid of a completely different thing, resting deeply inside of him, waiting to come out.  
  
For now, though, he needed to focus on the more pressing matter – acquiring all the information Sir Dunn was willing to offer him.  
  
He stood opposite his opponent, gripping his sword in both of his hands in front of him. When the first charge came, he did not expect it, but still managed to block it, wooden swords hitting each other with a dull noise. The Captain's face was close enough for him to ask his first question: „Why are those soldiers here?“  
  
„They are mercenaries from the East, hired by Ilsa,“ Sir Dunn answered and stepped away again, preparing for the next charge.  
  
Ethan circled him for a short moment before he took a big step towards him and charged, Sir Dunn stopping his sword from hitting him to the side.  
  
„So it si true then, about the war,“ Ethan huffed, pushing his the sword onto Sir Dunn's. He saw the Captain close his eyes and nodding.  
  
„Yes, unfortunately.“  
  
„Is that why Ilsa sent me the invitation? To help her fight against the West?“ Ethan pushed on, Sir Dunn's arms shaking under the pressure. He suddenly jerked his sword to the side and shoved Ethan with his shoulder, causing him to lose his footing and almost falling to the ground. Ethan regained his composure and blocked another of Sir Dunn's attacks, their wooden swords clashing repeatedly until they found each other in the same position as before, panting in exhaustion.  
  
„There is much more you ought to know, Sir, but yes, that is true,“ the Captain said and shook his head. „I told her you would find out eventually, so she promised me she would inform you of everything once you arrive, but I figured it is for the best I told you anyway, in case she might decide she would not tell you in the end.“  
  
Ethan managed a smile. „Thank you for telling me, Sir Dunn, that is all I needed to know.“  
  
The Captain frowned. „What do you-.“  
  
Ethan released the pressure on the Captain's sword and stepped to the side, watching him almost fall as he stumbled forward. He then turned on his heel and began walking towards the door he came from, throwing the training sword on the table.  
  
„Sir Ethan!“ he heard him call after him, but did not turn around. „Sir, you must not leave! Not now that your help is needed the most.“  
  
Ethan sighed as frustration began growing in his gut and turned around to face the Captain who was running towards him. „I did not come here to fight in a war. I left that life behind a long time ago and I promised I would not fall into it again, not since...“ Ethan trailed off, shaking his head. „It does not matter. It is done.“  
  
„It is not and you know it!“ Benjamin said, determined. „You would not come here otherwise. The mere rumour of a war managed to lead you here and it was not in vain, Sir, it never is.“  
  
„That is not what I mean.“  
  
„It is what _I_  mean,“ Benjamin's voice was now loud enough for a group of soldiers standing nearby to turn their heads towards them curiously, „I do not know you, but I know a fair amount about you and I assure you that none of this is what it seems.“  
  
„You have no idea what I have been through,“ Ethan said angrily, „you do not know what I have seen, what I have suffered. I will not let anyone drag me into another selfish war!“  
  
Benjamin's eyes suddenly widened and his shoulders lowered. „Sir, I...I apologise, that is not what I...“  
  
Ethan put his hand up to stop him. „No, do not apologise. It is getting late and I must prepare for the dinner.“  
  
After that he simply turned around and walked back the way he came, but this time Benjamin did not follow after him. He could envision him standing in the grass, a stumped – perhaps even disappointed – expression on his face and Ethan could not help but feel miserable.  
  
He knew the man was not in the least trying to offend him or cause him pain, yet Ethan still shouted at him. It was his own fault for letting his guard down and search Sir Dunn's words to find those that suited his frustration so he could simply let it out. It was a pathetic thing, nothing else.  
  
He decided as he walked up the stairs in the courtyard that he needed to find a time to apologise to him and explain his outburst. He was sure a certain misunderstanding must have happened and Sir Dunn did not try to lure him into agreeing to fight in the war by bringing up the mistakes of his past. He had no way of knowing of them, which is what made Ethan angry the most. It was him who brought them up and he did it by himself. Oh, what an idiot he was.  
  
He returned to his chambers just in time to clean himself up and get dressed into more appropriate attire when a knock on the door notified him that it was time for dinner.  
He took one last look into the mirror before he opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

*****

By the time Ethan and a servant arrived to the dining room – which had turned out to be on the other side of the castle, in the east wing – the sun had set completely, the lovely orange glow turning into darkness. It was now much more difficult to walk in the dark corridors as they were only dimly lit with a small number of candles. The servant carried a small candle of her own, balancing it on a bronze candlestick which seemed older than he was. And it did occur to him only at that moment – almost everything in the castle seemed to be almost ancient; rusty doors and worn out tapestries and carpets. He wondered what the reason could be. Perhaps Queen Ilsa simply did not pay too much attention to keeping her castle shiny and clean? Whatever the reason was, it was yet another mystery for Ethan to solve.  
  
When he arrived to the dining room – though calling it a room was an understatement – four of the five seats by the table were already occupied which made Ethan the last one to arrive. Four pairs of eyes immediately fell on him – one of which he did not recognise -, the quiet conversation muted.  
  
„Sir Ethan,“ he heard the low voice of the Queen as a small smile appeared on her lips, „we have been waiting for you. Please, sit down.“  
  
Ethan nodded, but did not say anything. Suddenly, just as he was sitting down, an exhaustion overcame him and he found himself wishing he was back in the South again, sitting under a tree by the sea, reading another one of Anna's letters.  
  
A gentle kick to his calf brought him back to the present and he glanced at Brandt, a stern look on his face. Ethan managed a small smile before he turned to look around the table – or at least a part of it, since the table, which was made out of dark wood was astonishingly long, reaching almost to the darkest end of the room.  
  
His eyes briefly met Sir Dunn's, but he quickly averted his gaze and a wave of guilt washed over Ethan; he wished so desperately to explain himself to him, to tell him he did not want to pour out his frustration on him, but he knew he needed to focus his attention on the most pressing matter – the reason behind the Queen's invitation.  
  
His gaze finally fell upon a woman sitting beside the Captain, with dark hair and eyes and a face he did not recognise.  
  
„Sir Ethan,“ Queen Ilsa spoke once again, catching Ethan's attention, „it is of utmost importance that we discuss the purpose of your visit,“ she spoke slowly, the muscles on her face almost lacking movement.  
  
Ethan leaned back in his chair, regaining a small amount of his composure. „I agree, You Majesty. Shall we begin with the mercenaries currently occupying the castle grounds or proceed to the marriage agreement straight away?“  
  
He noticed a small movement in front of him, possibly from the unknown woman, but he did not lok away from Ilsa whose face did not show any signs of discomfort or fear.  
  
At last, she closed her eyes and looked away. „So it seems you already know.“  
  
„I do, yes. Though I do not seem to know enough. At least not as much as everyone around me does,“ Ethan said nonchalantly and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the shiny wood of the table. „I would very much like you to change it, Your Majesty.“  
  
Ilsa sighed. „Very well. What is it you wish to know?“  
  
Ethan clenched his jaw tightly before leaning and as slowly as possible saying: „The truth. And please, do not spare me the details.“  
  
A silence fell upon the table, only the faint sound of wind picking up outside the castle walls could be heard. Ethan patiently watched the Queen as she, perhaps unconsciously, rubbed small circles into her palm with her thumb. He did not feel exhausted anymore, even better, he felt as if he had just woken up from a long rest, full of newly found energy. He saw Sir Dunn smile from the corner of his eye and he could not help but feel satisfied, in a way. Though he was only able to bestow Ilsa with that information thanks to Sir Dunn and he had decided he must _definitely_ talk to him after dinner.  
  
Finally, after a long moment, Ilsa spoke again: „I do not wish for you to think I did not intend to tell you everything once you arrived, Sir Ethan, though I was – and still am – afraid to do so. It is not because I am ashamed of asking for help, but rather because I am worried you might refuse to help me.“  
  
Ethan crossed his arms on his chest, but did not interrupt her.  
  
„There is a great number of stories which mention all of the dynastic conflicts and wars which date back hundreds of years that I will not waste your time with, because it is not the explanation you came here for. I will say one thing though – it is not my wish to be at war and I swear I would have ended it much sooner if I could.“  
  
„Much sooner?“ Brandt spoke suddenly and leaned forward. „How long has this war been going on?“  
  
Ilsa swallowed and for the first time since Ethan had arrived to the castle, he saw the features on her face soften, a few lines of worry appearing on her forehead. „It has been thirteen years now.“  
  
Ethan's eyes widened and he felt tightness in his gut. _Thirteen years_. Eight years more than any of the wars Ethan had ever waged.  
  
„How...how did you possibly manage to keep it a secret from your people for so long?“ Ethan sttutered, running a hand over his beard unconsciously. „All of the men and women who died and never returned home to their families...You must have explained it somehow.“  
  
Ilsa's composure had finally crumbled and she leaned over the table, her head in her hands. „There is a great, dense forest just on the border with the West, not far from here. Many people had disappeared there before and the kingdom is big, word travels fast, but always manages to be changed a little bit,“ Ethan turned to look at Sir Dunn who gave him a tight smile.  
  
„I always tried to keep the fighting far away from the cities, in the mountains or in the forests, but it had cost me a lot of great soldiers,“ Ilsa continued, strands of her auburn hair falling from behind her ears. She still did not look up, her head  bowed over the table. „I myself had been feeling unwell these last couple of months and as it seems my enemy had become much more powerful, I realised I was not able to hold him off much longer.“  
  
Ethan watched her straighten up and look into his eyes, desperation and fear seeping from them. „That is why I invited you. I knew I needed someone to take care of my kingdom once I am gone from this world and I knew you had a daughter, an heir. I have heard much about your good deeds, your accomplishments. And I was desperate.“  
  
Ethan sighed. He expected to feel angry, frustrated, but he was neither of those things. All he felt was sorrow. „I do not understand why you did not just tell me from the beginning, in the letter you sent me.“  
  
Ilsa smiled sadly. „And you would have come here to fight in someone else's war? After you had left that life behind? I could not take that risk.“  
  
Ethan knew she was right. The man he used to be, a reckless twenty-five-year-old King, would have accepted the plea for help immediately, not because he felt it was a righteous thing to do, but because it meant fighting. And fighting was the only thing which gave meaning to Ethan´s life at the time. There was only the sound of armour rattling, the desperate neighs of horses and the screams of both the injured, the dying and the victors. After he lost Julia and almost lost Anna as well, he had decided to leave that life behind and promised not to succumb to it ever again.  
  
And there he was, sitting at a table in a neglected castle whose Queen was desperate enough to marry a man she did not know simply for a small chance of winning a war she did not ask to wage so she could ensure the safety of her people even after she is gone. It would be madness for him to agree to such arrangement.  
  
„All right,“ Ethan said suddenly, all eyes focused on him, „I will help you end this war once and for all.“  
  
Ilsa's eyes widened and her hand reached towards the woman sitting beside her, who held onto it tightly. „Are you...?“  
  
Brandt grabbed his shoulder. „Ethan, have you lost your mind? I thought you did not want anything to do with this!“  
  
Ethan put his hand on Brandt's and slowly pushed it off of his shoulder. He regarded him with a calm look. „I know what I said,“ he turned to Ilsa once again, her pale freckled cheeks suddenly overflowing with colour, „and I am not exactly sure what our next move should be, but I will help you. That is all I know for sure.“  
  
For a reason unknown to Ethan at that time, a feeling of lightness had entered his chest as he sat there and watched Ilsa, holding onto the woman beside her and when his eyes met Sir Dunn's, he could not help but smile and a smile was given to him in return. And although he knew he must speak to the Captain in private as soon as possible and deliver his apology and his thanks, he still felt a strange sense of accomplishment, a kind he did not feel in a long time.  
  
„Oh, we ought to serve some dinner as well,“ Sir Dunn said suddenly. Ethan did realise that there was, in fact, no dinner at the table as well as the realisation that him and Brandt did not eat since hours ago when they were still on the road.  
  
Everyone at the table let out a quiet laugh at the Captain's remark and the anxiety seemed to slightly fade, at least for a short time.

*****

Once everyone had finished their dinner and Ethan and Ilsa agreed on a meeting the next day, Ilsa had excused herself from the table. She seemed to be unwell still, the colour quickly draining from her face and although Ethan meant to ask what illness was troubling her, he at last decided not to, even though he had a right do to so as her future husband and ally.  
  
He realised he still did not quite know how to approach that aspect of his reality – not only being a husband  once again, now to a powerful Queen, but being part of a war conflict as well; the two things he promised he would never do for as long as he lived. He told himself he must inform Anna of these events as soon as possible.  
  
After Ilsa and the woman whose name was still unknown to Ethan left, he stood up as well and declared it was time for him to head to his chambers. He anxiously – perhaps too anxiously – asked Sir Dunn if he was planning on doing the same and prayed Brandt would not wish to join their walk  back to their chambers.  
  
The Captain frowned, as Ethan excpected, likely due to being surprised Ethan even knew of his lodgings in the west wing instead of the barracks, but agreed anyway.  
  
„I shall go as well,“ Brandt declared, pushing himself away from the table, „it has been a long day.“  
  
Ethan forced a smile and exchanged a look with Sir Dunn whose face seemed like a mirror to his own which almost made him laugh if nothing else – the desperation to talk and get rid of the misunderstandings from their previous conversation was evident in both of them.  
  
The three of them began the fairly short walk to their chambers, lead by a servant (Ethan tried to explain they did not need a guide, but he insisted to lead the way anyway), in relative silence. After they had left the dining room and crossed the corridor right next to it, Brandt suddenly spoke:  
  
„I cannot believe you agreed to this, Ethan. I thought you were finished with that life. You told me that yourself!“  
Ethan sighed, but did not look at his friend. „I am aware of that.“  
  
„She did not even tell you about the enemy, this could be just a way for her to trap you in a marriage contract so she has someone to take over her kingdom after she dies!“ Brandt continued, his low voice becoming more loud, more tense as he spoke.  
  
„Careful, Sir Brandt,“ Ethan heard Sir Dunn say and turned to look at him. The Captain's features were hard and unmoving, a thing Ethan found particularly threatening, especially coming from such an expressive face „the same Queen you speak of so unkindly is the one who gave you warm food and comfortable lodgings, so I advise you to not say such things behind her back.“  
  
Ethan expected Brandt to talk back, as he usually did, but he did not and the rest of the walk passed without any other words spoken.  
  
Once they reached the west wing, the servant excused himself and left the three men alone on their own. Ethan planned on letting Brandt enter his chambers first so that only Sir Dunn and him would be left in the hall, but Brandt stood by his door, watching him.  
  
„Are you not heading to bed?“ Brandt asked and Ethan felt himself panicking. He looked at Sir Dunn who simply smiled and turned around, walking towards the end of the hall to his own room.  
  
„Ah, yes, of course,“ Ethan said quickly and opened the door to his chambers. „Good night, William,“ he said and stepped into his room, closing the door behind him.  
  
He remained standing just behind the door, listening to Brandt's door closing loudly. He then heard faint footsteps just by the wall they shared and once they stopped, Ethan figured Brandt must have went into bed. He hoped Sir Dunn did not do the same.  
  
Ethan slowly and as quietly as he could, opened the door and stuck his head out. The hall was empty and dark, not even the sound of the wind from outside the window could be heard.  
  
Ethan closed the door behind himself and just as he began walking towards the room on the opposite end of the hall, the door of said room opened and a familiar head appeared. Ethan could not help but smile. The Captain stepped out of the room and leaned on the wall beside the door, crossing his arms on his chest.  
  
„It seems both of us have business that needs finishing, do we not?“ Sir Dunn said, amusement in his voice.  
  
Ethan laughed shortly and shook his head. „It does seem to be the case, yes,“ he then looked into Sir Dunn's eyes, the skin around them still crinkling, „I believe I owe you an apology, Sir.“  
  
„That makes two of us,“ Sir Dunn's features softened and Ethan noticed himself beginning to calm down once again, though the anxiety of the possibility that Sir Dunn might not accept his apology still hung in the air above him, almost like an executioner's axe.  
  
„I have treated you unfairly today, at the training grounds,“ Ethan began, „and although you did not know of my past and had no intention of accusing me of cowardice, I acted unduly and for that I apologise. I hope to explain my reasonings for my behavior if you wish to hear it.“  
  
Sir Dunn's smile widened once again and he straightened up. „I accept your apology, Sir. And as I had said before – I do not know you, but I know a fair amount about you and I do not believe half of the stories told about you come even close to being the truth. So I apologise for causing you to think I might consider them as such.“  
  
Ethan frowned, surprised. „It is not your fault that people tell stories, that is how it has always been and I do not blame you for believing them.“  
  
„I had a feeling you would say that,“ Sir Dunn sighed, „still, I feel guilty for offending you, especially after I called myself your admirer. I only wished to help.“  
  
Ethan, now finally free of anxiety, reached out and squeezed the Captain's arm, the part which was not protected by armour. „You did help me, Sir Dunn, and you do not need to be forgiven for that.“  
  
Sir Dunn's eyes seemed to change colour at his words, but it could have been the low light playing tricks on Ethan. „I am glad that is settled then.“  
  
„So am I,“ Ethan laughed nervously and extracted his hand, „I sincerely hope to see you at the meeting tomorrow, Sir. I do not wish to discuss any plans without your insight. It has been a long time since I have done this.“  
  
„It would be an honor,“ Sir Dunn bowed his head lightly, „and I am always willing to help in any matter, if you wish so, of course.“  
  
„Well, I believe another sparring match would do me some good. The many years I spent holed up away from action have really caught up with me today.“  
  
„I did not notice at all, believe me,“ Sir Dunn said reassuringly, „we could find some time after the meeting tomorrow, while the troops are in training.“  
  
Ethan's brows raised in surprise. „Are you the one in charge of training the soldiers, then?“  
  
Sir Dunn sighed and took a few steps towards the window at the end of the hall, which was now reflecting the light of the few candles in the hall. „Yes, I am, though Ilsa is still the rightful Commander of the Royal Army, as she is the Queen. She was doing an excellent job training the soldiers when I arrived to the castle - even the mercenaries, since some of them could only make use of their strength, not their brains -, but she fell ill only a couple of months ago and so the task had gone to me.“  
  
Ethan followed the Captain with his eyes, listening to his narration. Somehow, he found himself absorbed in the man's words, whatever the reason for that could be. „I am definitely not surprised the Queen had not told me of her illness, but I am still curious as to what it is. Is it serious?“  
  
Sir Dunn turned to him. „I do not know, unfortunately. I might be the Queen's advisor and the Captain of the Royal Guard, but I my relationship with Ilsa is not intimate enough to know of her personal affairs,“ a small smile appeared on his face „but I believe you must have heard such a sentence before.“  
  
Ethan did – the Chamberlain, Harritt, had told him almost the same thing when they arrived to the castle – and he could not help but frown thoughtfully. „Ilsa is really cautious of her privacy, is she not? Do you know why that might be?“  
  
Sir Dunn shrugged. „I could not tell you. I have not been in her services for long, it was only luck that I found myself in such a high position in her court.“  
  
„That is certainly not true, Sir,“ Ethan protested, „you are a soldier with great abilities and talents, so do not sell yourself short.“  
  
A shy smile was formed on the Captain's lips and he glanced away. „You must not tell me such things, Your Majesty, or I might get too ahead of myself and become proud.“  
Ethan laughed. „I do not believe that is possible. And please, do call me Ethan, such formalities can become exhausting for both of us.“  
  
„Very well, Ethan. As you wish.“  
  
Silence fell between the two men, though only for a short moment, before Ethan unsuccesfully repressed a yawn. Sir Dunn had noticed a began walking back towards his room. „Well, I believe it is time for us to get some rest. There are busy days ahead of us.“  
  
„I agree,“ Ethan said, but a sudden thought of Anna had removed any signs of exhaustion from his mind, „though I believe a letter to my daughter is in order. It has been a few days since our last exhange.“  
  
„It is too late for writing, is it not? Wouldn't a well-rested mind and hand craft a better letter than an exhausted one?“ Sir Dunn said, more in good heart rather than in accusation and as Ethan had noticed that day, many of the things the Captain had said were not in malice whatsoever. It had truly been long since Ethan had met someone with such good intentions.  
  
„Yes, I believe you are right,“ Ethan agreed at last and offered the Captain his hand, „I wish you a good night then, Sir, and look forward to tomorrow.“  
  
Sir Dunn took his hand and held it for a short while, just the right amount for Ethan to feel the softness of his palm and the calluses on his fingers. „A good night to you, too, Ethan.“  
  
And with that, the two men, strangers before, but now friends, parted for the night and each went into his separate chambers on the oppposite end of the hall, as if they had known each other for much longer than mere hours in a day.  
  
As Ethan went into bed that night, he realised not only he wished to find out more about Sir Dunn – what his life was before he found himself in the Queen's service, amongst other things -, but he wished to tell him more about himself as well, a matter he did not discuss with anybody, some aspects of his past hidden so far in the back of his consciousness he did not think about them himself, perhaps only in his dreams. There must have been something strange about the Captain which made Ethan yearn to talk, to share, to walk, to listen and to be. And he did not realise it at the time yet, as he was falling asleep, but he had managed to discover his own understanding of the idea Anna had written him all those days ago, though it was only a matter of time until he realised it fully and consciously.  


**Author's Note:**

> Alright so that would be the first part of this thing I have been thinking about constantly since last November. I originally planned to post this as one big thing, but unfortunately school is soon going to start and I am unable to write both under pressure and during school which really sucks. 
> 
> That's why I decided to post at least something so that it doesn't sit in my folder for months until I am able to finish it. I don't know when the next chapter is going to be finished (or if it's going to be just one or multiple chapters, hence the question mark), but hopefully these 14k words will somehow tease the story I have prepared for Ethan and Benji this time. I do not know how long the slow burn will be since I am incredibly impatient even with my own writing, but I will try to take my time with these two. 
> 
> Also, Jane Carter was not yet mentioned in the story, but I have included her in the tags since she will definitely have a role in the story in the future.  
> As for Julia, I will not comment on anything to do with her since that would be a slight spoiler and her character is in a way important to the development of Ethan and Benji's story (and yes, calling him Sir Dunn the entire time was really difficult).
> 
> I began this story because I have grown interested in the medieval times because of school and since I want to apply everything in my life on my favourite boys, I thought - why not a medieval AU? Though this universe is definitely more idealised in comparison to the actual history which was probably much more grim and Ethan and Benji's story would be much more tragic if I tried to be historically accurate (and I have no interest in doing that even as a student of history).
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this! Comments and/or kudos really help me stay motivated to write more in the near future. <3


End file.
